hi there,i've been thinking about trying to crochet some baskets or tote bags using jute or hemp or other materials.i haven't checked all the old posts (for some reason, my searching here seems to take a long time)... so if anyone would like to share their experiences in particular type of materials that worked well and conversely materials that were really hard to work with, that would be terrific and helpful!i'm looking for something fun to work with (not too hard on the hands), relatively inexpensive and great to use/look at in the end ...not too much to ask... hardy har har...mucho thanks... grazie mille

I recently crocheted a basket using 3-ply jute. No getting around it, the stuff IS a bit hard on the hands (rough and inelastic), but for a smallish project it's fine. I'd recommend regular old kitchen twine or string for a tote bag.

Jute and hemp are quite tough. Even tightly spun cotton thread can feel rough after a while if you are making a firm fabric. If you want to crochet a market bag or basket, try using soft worsted weight cotton ("Kitchen Cotton")or some kind of a blend, and use a hook 2 sizes smaller than you might usually use.

I used to experiment with everything I could find--there are lots of different kinds of cord and twine in the hardware store. Some work, and some won't, but it's fun to see what you can discover.